Ultra-healthy co-working concept debuts in area

The many innovative features at The Ring are meant to boost productivity.

CLEARWATER — The Ring, a co-working and startup incubator space, opened its doors last week, and the effects of its advanced environmental features on worker productivity are going to be studied by Harvard University researchers.

Located at 600 Cleveland Street in downtown Clearwater, The Ring, according to a press release, offers fully customizable lighting that can mimic the daily progression of sunlight, ambient sound and aroma generators, in addition to living walls made up of plants; yoga classes; wellness lectures; and nap pods. The break room will have kombucha on tap, as well as a range of organic teas and coffees.

“We have all felt how a healthy mood can turn a normal day into a blockbuster of productivity, and vice versa,” states Daniels Ikajevs, a cofounder of The Ring, in the release. “We want to create that healthier environment for start-up companies, so they can achieve their dreams. More broadly, we want to spark a discussion about health in Clearwater and make this area into a magnet for creative startups.”

More than 20 start-up companies have already moved into The Ring, according to the release, and the workspace is part of Harvard University’s Global Building Study, which researches the interaction between healthy work environments and productivity via sensors placed throughout office spaces.

“We are extraordinarily proud that The Ring has chosen our downtown to establish this creative space,” states Mike Sutton, chairman of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, in the release. “Projects like these dramatically lift the capacity of business in Clearwater to grow.”